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Skarloey Railway
The Skarloey Railway (SR) is a narrow gauge railway which runs from the North Western Railway's station at Crovan's Gate to the village of Skarloey. Beyond Skarloey, the line continues upwards towards the Blue Mountain Quarry, and crosses the standard gauge Peel Godred Branch Line south of Kirk Machan. After crossing the line, it terminates at Ulfstead connecting with the private railway at Ulfstead Castle. Here it connects with the Ulfstead Branch Line. It also has a branch line that separates from the main line in-between Glennock and Rheneas that runs to Vicarstown, and works alongside Stepney's Branch Line. Overview * Locale: Island of Sodor * Track Gauge: Narrow gauge * Controller: Mr. Mack (1865-1867), Mr. Robert Sam (1897-1915), Mr. Peter Sam (1915-1980), Mr. Roger Sam (1980-1995), Sir Stephen Topham Hatt (1995-2005), Mr. Percival (2005-present) History In the case of the Skarloey Railway, its history closely parallels that of the Talyllyn Railway in Wales. The line began as a plateway and was opened in 1806 to collect copper ore and later slate from the local quarries. It was worked by gravity and carried mineral traffic that was shipped from Balladswail. Following the Ffestiniog Railway's lead in 1863, James Spooner was engaged in surveying a line for steam locomotives. It was also planned to develop passenger traffic for tourists to the Springs at Skarloey where there would be hotels and guest houses. It was later realized that the line could carry visitors to the local landmarks of Skarloey and Rheneas. Like all railways at this time, it was powered by horses, but by 1865 the railway's owners decided they needed steam engines to help out. They ordered two engines from the locomotive builders Fletcher Jennings Ltd in Whitehaven, England. These engines were Skarloey and Rheneas. Skarloey and Rheneas worked hard for many years, but eventually, the demand for slate decreased due to cheaper slate being imported from Italy. After World War II the railway was in a poor state, and the old mines had become ammunition dumps. The owner, Sir Handel Brown, thought he would have to sell the railway. At this point, the railway was taken over by Mr. Peter Sam, who became the Thin Controller. With the help of Mr. Ivo Hugh and a number of volunteers, they managed to keep the railway going. The railway's main source of income was now tourist traffic. Eventually, Rheneas failed and Skarloey was left to manage alone, which he did admirably until Peter Sam and Sir Handel were bought from the Mid Sodor Railway to help out. Later they purchased Rusty and Duncan. It was around this time that the slate quarries were reopened. The slate from these quarries was pure and free from metallic impurities, which meant it was in demand as other slate demand fell. In 1965, the railway celebrated the 100th birthday of Skarloey and Rheneas with the opening of a new branch line to Lakeside. A second triumph came when Duke was saved and brought to the railway, where he was repaired and now works the passenger trains. Since the centenary celebrations of 1965, the railway has purchased a new diesel, Fred, and built a new steam engine Ivo Hugh. Rolling stock The railway owns 13 locomotives (11 steam locomotives and 2 diesel locomotives). The railway does not have electric locomotives. Engines * 1: Skarloey * 2: Rheneas * 3: Sir Handel (Originally named Falcon, and formerly worked on the Mid Sodor Railway. Renamed Sir Handel after Sir Handel Brown I, his current railway's former owner.) * 4: Peter Sam (Originally named Stuart, and also formerly worked on the Mid Sodor Railway. Renamed Peter Sam after Mr. Peter Sam, his current railway's controller from 1915 to 1980.) * 5: Rusty (One of two of the railway's diesel locomotives, the other being Fred.) * 6: Duncan * 7: Ivo Hugh * 8: Duke * 9: Fred (The railway's other diesel engine) * 22: Luke * Bertram * Mighty Mac * Freddie (shares Ivo Hugh's number.) Liveries All of the steam engines were originally painted the same bright red colour with a simple blue lining except for Duke (who retained the dark red-brown paint from his days on the Mid Sodor Railway) and Rusty, who is painted charcoal-black. Unusually, the engines did not have nameplates; their names were just painted directly in gold on the side of the saddle tank or boiler, as to had been the case on the Talyllyn Railway before the Preservation Society took over. The other diesels are painted dark-grey. The steam locomotive livery features lots of polished brass-work and is largely unchanged since the opening of the railway (judging by the illustrations in Very Old Engines, although these show a more elaborate blue and yellow lining scheme). Nowadays all of the engines are painted in completely different colours. This was presumably to assist people travelling on the railway in identifying the different engines. While Skarloey retained his Railway Series colour (with the exception of the white and yellow lining), his friend Rheneas was painted vermillion. Sir Handel and Peter Sam retained the colours that they wore when they were named Falcon (blue) and Stuart (green) on the Mid Sodor Railway. Rusty is painted rusted-orange which led to his name, but also a portmanteau. of the first letter and last letters of the name of the company that built him, Rust'on and Hornsb'y. Duncan is painted bright yellow with a black lining. Trivia * From 1995 to 2005, the railway was controlled by the Fat Controller, presumably because when Mr. Peter Sam retired, there was no one else to take over, and so the Fat Controller was employed to run the Skarloey Railway. * Mr. Percival, the current controller, is also the current controller of the Culdee Fell Railway.